


Tyler Goes For a Swim... In The River Styx

by AussieRubix



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Banana Bus Squad
Genre: Tyler goes for a swim, a bit graphic, brock is pure, but mostly just character development, cerberus is good boi, hades is a cool dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-29 01:07:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21146225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AussieRubix/pseuds/AussieRubix
Summary: tbh it's late and I'm not going to edit this- it's a drabble of sorts on a bit of origin for Tyler and Brock in Diss and I's PJO AU.





	Tyler Goes For a Swim... In The River Styx

“Come on, Brock! Stop being such a wimp!” Tyler’s voice sounded distant as Brock stood in the Garden of his mother with Cerberus, staring at him as he jumped down from the rocky underground hill that held up Hade’s Castle above the fields of the dead. Tyler was expertly jumping from bolder to bolder down the mountain as if the path was ingrained in his head from years of playing on the castle grounds.

“Tyler! We’re never allowed past the first fields of souls! Father will kill you before you made it halfway to the River Styx!” Brock yelled back, desperately trying to coax his older brother into coming back without having to go out himself. You see, Tyler had initiated a game of tag and promptly started running towards the river of broken dreams, knowing his little brother would never follow so far from the castle walls.

Tyler either didn’t hear Brock or didn’t care, as he had made it down the hill and was starting the 100-yard sprint towards the river across ashy, scorched fields. Brock, finally realising how serious Tyler was about jumping in the Styx, immediately jumped on Cerberus’ back. The three-headed dog yipped happily, the middle head attempting to turn around and lick Brock.

“Follow Tyler!” Brock’s command sent Cerberus into action, who began bounding towards Tyler, who had reached the banks of the river Styx. Brock leapt from the oversized dog’s back running, as Tyler walked the last few feet towards the river.

“Don’t! The Styx’ll kill you!!” Brock desperately called for Tyler, who glanced at him before taking a large step into the eery black waters. 

Immediately, pain erupted through Tyler’s calves, causing to stumble onto all fours in the river, with no hope of escaping the hellish grasp of the Styx. Before long, the undertow had swept his legs and hands from under him and he was submerged below the surface.

Brock watched on in horror, knowing better than to jump in after him. He would never be able to pull his brother out. As the current swallowed Tyler, the only sound in the entire field was the terrified screams of his older brother. Even the quiet murmurs of the ghosts had stopped, as they watched, grim-faced.

As his head fell below the surface, Tyler helplessly thrashed, trying to escape his painful fate. The liquid was definitely not water. Not even the strongest poison or acid could compare to the pure pain it ignited in every nerve in his body. He could feel the liquid invade his airways as he choked on the black muck. Everything burned as he sunk further and further towards the bottom. His ears filled with deathly silence, his eyes closed tightly to avoid the acid. A deep voice shattered his panic, a glimmer of hope beginning to form. His father’s voice. 

‘Think of something that binds you to this earth. Think of a reason you wish to stay alive and mortal. Focus on it, focus your mind on this point to hold your mortality. Think of a spot on your body. A place you can defend well, a place to hide all of your weakness. Focus on these two things. They will keep you alive.’  
Tyler searched his brain for what gives him a reason to live. Why does he even get up in the morning? Brock. His brother. He lives to see that innocent, pure smile on his face. The childish pout that looks adorable whenever he finds his little brother in a game of hide-and-seek. 

A place he can hide all of his weakness? He thought about his ruthless combat training with the head of the royal guard, Luke. Most of his defences cover his heart and head, but that’s too obvious. His left forearm. He fights mostly with his right, so the enemy has no reason to attack his left arm. The inside of his forearm is always well guarded by his battle armour. Tyler focused on these two things; Brock, to hold his mortality, and his inner left forearm, to hold his weakness. 

Suddenly, the pain of the acidic liquid magnified by what felt like hundreds. He felt like screaming, yet he made no noise. Then, the pain seemed to seep to his left arm. While the pain increased in his inside forearm, the pain faded from the rest of his body, until he was able to bear the pain enough to swim to the banks.

Tyler broke the surface with a panicked cry, grabbing at the paw Cerberus gave him. Brock let out a cry of relief, hugging his brother in a bone-crushing hug.

“And why, Tyler, did you attempt to bathe in the River Styx?” The commanding of Hades broke the relief, Tyler’s blood running cold (which seemed impossible, after the searing pain and heat whatever that stupid river was made of).

“I-... I didn’t think the stories of the River Styx were true. I didn’t think that a river could cause such pain...” Tyler trailed off, the pain of the waters still very much present in his mind and his newly obtained Achille’s Heel. 

Hades sighed but turned to Brock. “I imagine you do not plan on bathing in the Styx as well, Brock?” 

Brock shook his head quickly still pale and wide-eyed that his brother survived the power of the river. Tyler looked down to his left arm, frowning slightly. “Does the curse leave a mark or physical sign that it exists?”

“No. Never make your Achille’s Heel obvious or tell anyone. Something as simple as a powerful punch can kill you from that spot now, Tyler.” Hades had a small, barely visible smile of pride on his face. Despite his disobedience, Tyler had proven himself very powerful in both mind and now body. Hades wasn’t even mad about his disobedience. Curiosity is not a sin, despite what his brothers would like people to believe. Why should he be mad at Tyler for wanting to know if the myths were to be believed?

“How about we go back to the castle. You’ll feel better after a glass of ambrosia and a good meal.” Hades guided his children in front of him, the three of them trekking up the hill to the castle, surprisingly happy despite the near-death experience Tyler had just experienced. You get used to them in the underworld, after all.


End file.
